Sunset In Cuba
by theperksofbeinglarissa
Summary: Realizing that both Keith and Shiro have nowhere to go while they wait for the new ship to be built, Lance invites the two of them to join him and his family in Cuba. Immense fluff ensues. *Cover art done by the amazing Kiilea!


Home. It had been so long since any of the paladins had seen it. _Earth._ The moment they landed – discreetly, somewhere in the middle of the desert, of course – each of them just stopped, taking a moment to appreciate the world around them. Sure, this far out there wasn't much to see, but it was _home,_ and that was enough.

Hunk and Lance even went so far as to get down on their hands and knees and kiss the ground beneath them. A decision they regretted immediately as they spent the rest of the day coughing up sand.

First stop was the Holt residence. As teary-eyed reunions went, this one was sure to be at the top of anyone's list. Even Keith couldn't stop himself from tearing up at the sight of the Holt family being truly united again after so long.

There were other matters that needed to be dealt with, however. It was imperative that construction of the new Castle of Lions begin as soon as possible. There was still a war going on out there after all. Allura and Coran would take the plans for the new Castle to the Olkari. No other species was capable of completing such a massive undertaking in such a short amount of time. Two months. That's how long the Olkari had said it would take them to complete the ship – under Coran's watchful eye, of course. Allura would have to be there as well, as Altean energy was a key component in the construction of any Altean vessel.

It was an emotional farewell. They all knew it wasn't forever, but parting after having been together for so long was difficult. Lance was hard-pressed to leave Allura's side, insisting that he could be of some use to them, _any_ use. The other paladins eventually managed to pry him from Allura, and the two Alteans were on their way.

Matt and Pidge stayed with their family. In two months they would all have to leave Earth once again to rejoin the war against the remaining Galra factions still threatening the Universe. They wanted to spend as much time with their loved ones as possible before then.

Hunk would spend his leisure time with his Grandmother, cooking up a storm, no doubt. Lance was going back to Cuba. He'd missed his family more than he could say while he was away. The mere thought of reuniting with them made him tear up.

That left Keith and Shiro. Neither of them had a proper home to go back to. Sure, Keith had his shack out in the desert, but that hadn't felt like home in a long time. Shiro could have gone back to the Garrison, but how would he explain his disappearance? That and his decidedly altered physical appearance made that option completely out of the question.

Lance, in a shocking display of compassion, took it upon himself to invite the two of them back to Cuba with him. Keith had sputtered at the offer, unsure of how to respond. Shiro gratefully accepted the invitation for the both of them. In a matter of hours, the trio had landed in Cuba.

Lance's family resided in a small coastal town a few hours outside of Havana. It was a modest little town. One of those places where everybody knows everybody else. One big happy extended family.

Extended family was right. Keith had to forcibly stop his jaw from dropping as they arrived at the address Lance had given their cab driver. The property was _enormous_. There were dozens of little houses scattered about, every one of them overlooking the ocean. Lance had called ahead so the family could make preparations for their arrival. The group that welcomed them must have been thirty people at _least._

Lance couldn't have looked happier if he tried. He rushed from the cab, jumping straight into the middle of the group, dozens of arms enveloping his slender frame. Half the family was bawling, the other half chattering away at about a million miles per minute. Neither Keith nor Shiro had the slightest idea as to what anyone was saying. Keith had taken a Spanish course at the Garrison, but that felt like a lifetime ago, and anything he'd retained was useless at the speed they were talking.

Without warning, several members of the group broke away from Lance to usher the two stunned paladins away from the cab, taking their luggage from them and leading them towards the rest of the group. Keith and Shiro shared a look as they were dragged forward by two little girls, neither of which could be older than six or seven. _This is going to be an interesting few months,_ was the thought that passed silently between the two of them.

 _xxx_

Once everyone was settled, introductions were in order. A beautiful woman with shoulder-length brown hair and dark chocolate eyes offered a hand to the two paladins.

"My name is Jacqueline," she began, "I'm Lance's mother."

Keith couldn't stop his jaw-dropping this time. The woman before them didn't look much older than Shiro. There wasn't a wrinkle to be found anywhere on her tan face. And suddenly Keith understood where Lance had gotten his obsession with skincare from.

Another shock came at meeting Lance's father. A stark contrast to the rest of the family, the man before them was as pale as Keith or Shiro and stood a good three or four inches above Lance in height. He was a behemoth of a man with bright auburn hair and blue eyes that put the ocean outside to shame. _Just like Lance's,_ Keith thought.

"Carl McClaine." The man extended a hand as well, his grip firm. Unlike the rest of Lance's family, Carl was of Scottish descent. This not only explained Lance's very un-Hispanic last name, but also the twin boys peeking out from behind Lance. They were Lance's youngest siblings and they were the spitting image of their father.

In total, Lance had a whopping _seven_ siblings. The twins, Luis and Franky, were the youngest at five years old. Above them was Teresa (6), Albert (7), Carlos (11), Maria (13), and Veronica (15). Like Lance, most of them took after their mother in appearance, but several of them also sported their father's crystal blue eyes. It was a striking contrast, something Keith had always secretly thought about Lance. Those blue eyes against that sun-kissed skin made for a very handsome human being. Not that Keith would ever tell Lance that. His ego didn't need the boost. It was big enough.

This, of course, didn't take into account his extended family. Aunts and Uncles and more cousins than they could count. The whole ordeal stirred something in Keith that he couldn't seem to shake. He'd never, not once in his life, had what Lance had here. His father meant the world to him, but he hadn't been around long enough to instill this sense of... _home_ , that Lance's family absolutely radiated. Spending two years alone with his mother was nice and all, but at her core, Krolia was a warrior. Although she tried, she just didn't exhibit the same overwhelming maternal instinct that he witnessed from just a short time with Jacqueline and Lance.

It brought a sadness over Keith, though he did his best not to show it. Shiro could see his struggle but didn't comment. There were some things you just didn't bother Keith about.

Despite the overwhelming amount of space on the McClaine's property, there was very little of it unoccupied. This meant sharing living quarters. Shiro was bunked with one of Lance's cousins, Jorge. They were around the same age and seemed to hit it off pretty well. Keith got stuck with Lance. Lance, of course, tried to combat this arrangement, but one stern look from his mother shut him up in a way Keith had never seen before. It was impressive, really.

Keith dropped his meager belongings onto the cot set up for him in Lance's room. Lance had left to help his mother with some errands, which left Keith alone in his room. It was uncanny how much Lance's room reflected his personality. There was a huge floor length mirror on the back of his door and more beauty products on the desk than he'd ever seen. But that wasn't what caught his attention. Opposite Lance's bed was a bookcase, each shelf overflowing with titles, most of which Keith had never even heard of. Each book looked well worn. Lance had always come across as a bit of a ditz, but seeing this, Keith wondered if perhaps Lance wasn't quite as stupid as he pretended to be.

 _xxx_

A month went by and everyone had more or less settled into life with Lance's family. Shiro was even picking up a little Spanish. He always had been a quick study.

The longer they were there, the more Keith learned about Lance. The clownish persona he put on for everyone was just his way of grappling for attention. In a family this large, it was hard to stick out amongst the crowd. In truth, Lance was pretty smart and exceptionally kind. Before now, Keith had only ever seen the competitive side of Lance. He'd seen glimpses of something else when one of his comrades were in danger or he was forced to step up and lead. But here, with his family, Keith got to see a side of Lance that was truly something else.

Lance was always the first to offer his assistance, no matter how small or large the task or who was in need. He carried the heaviest loads, ran any errand they'd let him – and the way he was with the younger members of his family... it touched something inside Keith that made a lump form in his throat whenever he was around him.

Today they were taking a break from the usual hustle and bustle. In all the time they'd been there, and despite living mere meters from the sea, Keith had yet to stick even a toe into the bright blue waters that surrounded them. Lance wasn't going to let that stand.

Keith stood awkwardly in front of the mirror in Lance's room. Compared to everyone else around here, Keith couldn't help but feel, well... pasty. His porcelain complexion had never bothered him before, and in general, he'd never been too concerned with the way he looked. But now, as he stood in front of the mirror clad in black flip-flops and red, floral print swim trunks – that actually belonged to Lance, as Keith had lost the only pair he had when the Castle of Lions was destroyed – he actually felt self-conscious.

Lance barged into the room, interrupting Keith's gloom and nearly smacking him in the face with the door. "Alright, mullet-head, you ready to go?"

Keith blanched. Lance stood there, tanner than ever, in a pair of dark blue swim trunks, a few fabric bracelets around his wrist and a shell necklace resting against his collarbone. Keith knew he was staring, but he couldn't seem to pull his eyes away from the lanky Cuban boy in front of him. He was, for lack of a better word, _stunning._

"Hello, earth to Keith, _"_ Lance waved his hand back and forth in front of the red paladins face. Keith blinked, finally back from whatever Lance-themed trip he'd been on and flushed a deep crimson. He swatted Lance's hand away, unable to look him in the eye and brushed passed him, mumbling a confirmation under his breath. _What the quiznak was that?_ Keith panicked internally. Lance followed after a moment, just as confused as Keith.

Keith did his best to keep his gaze from the blue paladin for the entirety of the outing. If Shiro noticed, he said nothing. Lance, on the other hand, seemed a bit miffed. He'd planned a whole day for this. There was going to a barbeque and everything. And there was Keith, sulking under a large beach umbrella. He hadn't stepped foot in the water once.

An idea came to Lance, one that brought a devious smirk to his lips.

"Hey, Keith! Come look at this!" He shouted from where he stood, knee deep in the ocean, the tide lapping at his thighs.

Keith's gaze jumped immediately to where Lance was standing. The blue paladin was beckoning Keith over, looking very excited about something. Keith sighed, reluctantly rising from his perch underneath the umbrella and making his way over to Lance. He stopped just short of the water's edge, glaring at Lance who wore a concerningly innocent expression.

"What is it," he shouted back at Lance. They were only a few feet apart now, but the sound of the water crashing against the rocks was loud enough to warrant the heightened tone.

"Come _here._ " Lance continued to beckon Keith closer, but he wasn't biting.

Lance, knowing how stubborn Keith could be, trudged through the water towards the older boy, holding something in his hand that Keith couldn't see.

"Guess what it is," he said, coming to a stop about a foot away from Keith, feet still firmly planted in the water. He hid his hand behind his back, so Keith couldn't see what he had.

"You said you had something to show me, so just show me. I don't want to play your silly game." Lance pouted. Keith sighed.

Impatiently, Keith reached for the arm Lance had hidden behind his back. Just what Lance wanted him to do. Once Keith was close enough, Lance grabbed the older boy by the wrist and yanked hard. Keith let out a yelp, toppling forward. What Lance had not intended, was for Keith to come crashing directly into _him._ The two collided, Lance, falling back into the water with Keith in tow.

Lance groaned, one hand coming up to rub the back of his head where it had collided with the sand. His other hand rested on the sea floor, barely a few inches of water lapping at his wrist. Then he remembered Keith. Lance's head snapped forward only to be met with a pair of stormy gray eyes, wide with shock. Below, a flush spread all the way from the tips of Keith's ears to his collarbone.

Both paladins were frozen, unable to look away from one another. It was like they were in some kind of trance. Keith's dark hair was plastered to his forehead, water dripping from the wet strands down his pale skin. Lance watched, mesmerized, as one of the droplets made its way down Keith's cheek, finding purchase in the corner of his lips. Keith's mouth was open just a bit, and his tongue peeked subconsciously to wipe away the offending salt water. Lance followed the motion with intense care. _What are you doing?_ A voice in the back of his head screamed. _Look away, look away! Get up, you idiot!_ But Lance couldn't move.

It was Keith who finally got up, darting out of the water and back towards the beach. Lance watched as he clumsily gathered his towel and made his way back to the house hurriedly. Lance stared long after the door to his house had closed. _What just happened?_

 _xxx_

Keith was mortified. He'd been inches away from Lance, and the only thing he could do was gape like a fish. Not to mention the overwhelming urge he'd had to lean in those last few inches and meld his lips against Lance's. They were probably just as soft as the rest of him, he imagined. _Stop that,_ he berated himself.

Keith knew what was happening, but he didn't want to admit it to himself. Because if he did that, then it changed everything. He'd never be able to look at Lance the same way again. But hadn't that ship already sailed? He'd been looking at Lance in a different light for a while now. How could he be so dense? The more he looked at the situation the more obvious it became. Keith had never really been interested in anyone, too focused on unraveling the mysteries of his own past to bother with silly romantic entanglements.

But the more he looked at it, the more he realized there may have been another reason behind his lack of romantic interest in others. Maybe it was because, somewhere in the back of his mind, he'd already found someone of interest. It just took a bit of time away from the heat of battle for his mind to fully wrap itself around the idea. Looking back at his time in the Quantum Abyss, Keith realized something. Sure, he'd regaled his mother with stories of _all_ the paladins, but none more so than Lance. Krolia had looked quite put out after a while, now he understood why. She had to watch her idiot son pine after his fellow paladin for two years straight and not even realize it.

 _xxx_

When Keith skipped the barbeque, Lance sunk into himself. Sulking wasn't usually his thing, it was Keith's, but it seemed appropriate with the way he was feeling. He couldn't shake what happened in the water from his mind. The scene played out over and over again in his head. He went over every detail with a fine-toothed comb, but the more he did this, the more confused and frustrated he became. Finding Keith's face so close to his had made his skin tingle and his heart race in a way he'd never experienced before. He'd only experienced something similar with one other person, and it was Allura.

 _But that doesn't make any sense,_ he rebutted, arguing with himself. That seemed to be happening a lot lately. What he was feeling towards Keith couldn't be the same kind of thing he felt for Allura... could it? No, Keith was his rival, his comrade, and a friend on their better days. His mind flashed back to just before Keith left with the blade. The talk they'd had in his room, when he'd gone to Keith feeling left out and confused. Keith had supported him, made him feel important.

A flush spread across Lance's cheeks at the memory. Sure, they fought a lot, which was mostly Lance's fault, but they'd had some really good moments, too. Lance let his head fall back against the palm tree he was resting against and let out a groan.

"Something on your mind?" Lance's head shot back up. Shiro stood before him in his black board shorts and a sleeveless hoodie he hadn't bothered zipping up. The white hair really did suit him, Lance thought as Shiro lowered himself to the ground in front of him. "Wanna talk about it?"

Did he want to talk about it? Yes, he decided after a moment. If anyone would be able to decipher what was going on in Lance's head, it would be Shiro. And so, Lance laid the whole situation out for the black paladin, detail for detail. When he was finished, Shiro looked thoughtful.

"I don't think you're gonna like what I have to say," he started after a moment. This made Lance nervous. After saying it all out loud, he had an idea what Shiro was thinking. But was he ready to hear it, himself?

 _xxx_

The next week went by torturously slow, and it seemed like the Universe was doing its best to throw Lance and Keith together at every given opportunity. Jacqueline sent the two out on some errands together after she'd sprained her ankle. Of course, they agreed without hesitation, but the entire outing was incredibly awkward. The two of them could hardly look at one another, let alone hold a conversation. When they got back, the tension between them was palpable.

It went on like this day after day. It was Friday, and the bulk of the family was either working or had previous engagements. Lance's parents had left about an hour ago, tasking Lance and Keith with babysitting the twins and their cousin Carly who was about three years old. The twins were pretty good at keeping themselves entertained, playing one of Lance's old video games in the den. Carly, on the other hand, required a little more attention.

"I changed it last time, it's your turn," Keith groaned, directing a side-eyed glare at Lance.

"No, _I_ did it last time, it is so your turn."

They'd been arguing like this for a good five minutes over whose turn it was to change Carly's diaper. It was an improvement over the awkward silence, but not by much. Carly just seemed to be enjoying the show, her big brown eyes bouncing back and forth between the two as they bickered. The little girl giggled ecstatically, clapping her hands together.

"Fight, fight, fight!" She exclaimed, drawing the two paladin's attention.

"Oh, we're not fighting sweetie, don't worry," Lanced cooed at the three-year-old. Carly was far from worried.

"Big brothers fight!" She giggled out, clearly amused.

Keith tried to hold in the laugh that bubbled up in his chest but failed as Lance's head swung around the glare at the red paladin.

"You think this is funny? Mom's gonna _kill_ me if she hears we were fighting in front of the baby."

"You started it," Keith replied, a smirk resting on his lips.

" _I_ started it? Oh no, it was _you_ who started this mess," Lance rebutted, scooting closer to where Keith rested a few feet away on the floor, pointing an accusatory finger in the older boy's face. Carly, who was poised in Keith's lap grabbed Lance's outstretched hand and pulled.

"Big brothers no fight!" She exclaimed, reaching down to grab Keith's hand resting on his thigh. "Big brothers love each other!" Carly giggled, thrusting the two boy's hands together forcibly.

Keith and Lance froze, both staring wide-eyed at their linked hands. Carly was holding their wrists making sure there was no escape for the two blushing paladins. It was an awkward angle that Carly had forced their hands into. A cramp was starting to form in Keith's wrist from the strain. Without thinking, Keith shifted his hand to a more comfortable position, twining Lance's fingers between his own.

A sharp inhale from Lance brought Keith's gaze back up to the Cuban boy in front of him and away from their intertwined hands. Lance was no longer looking at their hands, those gorgeous blue eyes now locked onto Keith's gray ones. The air around them was warm, and the rest of the world seemed to fade away, leaving the two of them, locked in each other's hypnotic gaze.

Without warning, Carly released the boy's wrists. She used her now free hands to reach up and grab the boys by the back of their necks and slam their faces together. Her intention was probably to get them to kiss, but the result was far more violent. Keith and Lance were shoved forward, noses and foreheads colliding painfully. Both boys surged back, hands going to their faces to assess the damage. Carly seemed content with the outcome, regardless of whatever she had intended to happen.

Keith and Lance groaned in unison, their vision blurry from the impact.

"What the heck happened here?" Shiro's voice came from the doorway. The scene he'd walked in on was both a bit confusing, and very laughable. Keith and Lance sat inches apart, Carly nestled safely in Keith's lap, clearly amused by the whole ordeal. The boys were leaning back, resting on their elbows while they grasped their injured noses, clearly in pain.

Neither Keith nor Lance would fess up to what exactly went down. Both boys ended up with a shiner that lasted several days, though.

 _xxx_

There were only two weeks left before Allura and Coran returned for the paladins. It seemed like a lifetime ago that they'd left the five of them here on earth.

Keith and Lance sat by the water, letting the tide curl around their toes. They'd been avoiding each other, and the family had started to notice. So, in typical overbearing parent fashion, Lance's parents had forced the pair out of the house, locking the door, exclaiming that the two weren't allowed to come back until they'd settled whatever fight they were having.

Problem was, they weren't fighting – at least not with each other. Both paladins had a war going on inside their heads ever since that day on the beach. Now, here they were, forced to face whatever was going on between them.

The silence was deafening. Not even the sound of the waves breaking against the rocks was enough to break through the bubble Keith and Lance had put themselves in. They'd been out there for at least an hour, and neither of them had spoken a single word. Inside, Lance's immediate family – and Shiro – were watching the pair from the windows.

"One of us is gonna have to say something eventually," Keith said suddenly. Lance didn't look up, only sighed long a hard.

"Yeah," was his only response.

Another few minutes of silence. Keith was getting tired of being out here. It was getting dark, and he could already feel the sunburn on his shoulders from having been out so long without sunscreen or an umbrella.

"Look, Lance," Keith started, "I'm sorry."

The apology startled Lance. "For what?" He replied, finally looking at the older boy.

"I've been avoiding you, acting like a jerk." He mumbled, a flush rising on his cheeks.

"Yeah, well, so have I," Lance admitted after a moment, gaze going back to the water, a similar flush forming on his own cheeks.

"I'm just – I'm really confused right now." Keith ran a hand through his hair. The motion caught Lance's attention, he couldn't help it. He had to admit, the mullet had grown on him.

"Yeah, you're telling me." This caught Keith's attention. What did Lance have to be confused about? It couldn't possibly be the same thing as him, could it? _No way_ , Keith thought. _He's in love with Allura._ The thought only depressed Keith further. He couldn't deny the feelings he was having for the blue paladin anymore, but he'd be hard-pressed to admit them to anyone, especially Lance. No point in confessing to someone who's clearly in love with someone else. Keith had always been the 'suffer in silence' type, anyway.

This line of thought was interrupted when Lance lowered his hand from his knee, placing it delicately over Keith's own resting in the sand between them. Keith balked, staring intensely at the boy next to him. Lance wouldn't meet his gaze. His other hand held his face, mouth half covered, eyebrows knitted together, trying to bury the blush so clear on his tan skin. _No way,_ Keith thought again, but this time he was less sure.

In a spur of courage, Keith turned his hand over, lacing his fingers between Lance's. The blush on Lance's face grew darker and he buried his face even further into the hand not currently holding onto Keith's.

Keith took a chance. He reached out with his other hand, grasping Lance's chin lightly, turning his face towards him. Lance's eyes met Keith's for the first time since their conversation had begun, and Keith saw something in those watery depths that took his breath away.

Keith's hand moved from Lance's chin to his cheek, weaving his fingers together with the hand Lance already had there. If it was even possible, Lance's blush intensified even more. They weren't far apart now, maybe a foot between them. Keith hesitated to go any further, not wanting to scare Lance away, in case he was misreading the situation. Lance, it appeared, had other plans.

In one swift movement, Lance lunged forward, breaking his hand away from Keith's on the ground between them and bringing it to the side of Keith's face. His lips were as soft as Keith had imagined.

Keith melted then and there, his free hand coming up to weave its way into Lance's hair. Lance, who had been so unsure at first, relaxed at Keith's touch, deepening the kiss. Lance took the lead from there, sliding his tongue along Keith's lower lip, reveling in the sound it elicited from the older boy. Their tongues explored, sliding together, along teeth and every inch they could reach. Lance groaned, removing his hand from Keith's on his own cheek and winding it into Keith's raven locks. _God_ his hair was soft. Lance tugged a little, unintentionally at first, but spurred on by the noise it drew out of Keith.

They were all teeth and tongue and roving hands, trying desperately to explore everything at once. Inside the house, Jacqueline and Carl pulled the younger children away from the window. This was not something they needed to see. Shiro tore himself away as well, feeling a bit like a voyeur at this point. But inside he was happy for them, a small smile gracing his lips as he wandered after the rest of the family.

Keith may have been the older of the two, after his time in the Abyss, but Lance was still the more experienced one, and it showed. Keith was on his back now. He wasn't sure exactly when that had happened, but he wasn't complaining. Lance hovered over him, lips unyielding in their ministrations. Everywhere Lance touched felt like it was on fire. Lance moved from Keith's lips, leaving one more quick kiss there before trialing small kisses down Keith's cheek, down to his jaw. When he reached the soft skin between his ear and his neck, Keith thought he was going to die, then and there.

Lance trailed wet kisses down Keith's neck, nipping at the skin as he went. His hands seemed to have a mind of their own as they wove their way down Keith's arms, his chest, and finally down to his hips. They were so caught up in each other that the two boys seemed to have forgotten where they were. That didn't last long.

Cold water rushed under Keith's back, effectively pulling him from the Lance-fueled haze he'd found himself in. The pair jumped up, a loud gasp leaving Keith at the sudden change in temperature. The boys took a moment to catch their breath, eyes never leaving the other. Lance cracked up first, quickly followed by Keith. They were laughing like fools, grasping onto each other for support. Once they'd calmed down their gazes met again. The look that passed between them was so soft, so warm, so _real._ It was a little terrifying, for both of them. But there, in each other's arms, neither had ever felt so safe. Nothing had ever felt so right.

The pair didn't say anything else, just sat there, watching the sunset on the ocean, hand in hand, shoulder to shoulder. They could work out the details later. Right now, they just wanted to bask in the moment for as long as possible.

 _xxx_

When Coran and Allura finally returned for the paladins at the end of the two months, the goodbyes were hard. Harder than they ever could have imagined. Lance's family had become something of a surrogate family for Keith, something he desperately wished he didn't have to leave. But responsibility outweighed his own selfish desires, and he said his goodbyes along with Lance and Shiro, tears in his eyes as they were all embraced by the group one last time.

They picked up Hunk first who came onboard with a suitcase full of sweets his grandmother had insisted he take with him. No one would complain. Matt and Pidge were next. Watching them say goodbye to their family was hard for everyone. Shiro said his goodbyes as well, and then they were on their way, breaking earth's atmosphere in their spiffy new ship. They all sat together on the bridge, watching as the ship sped towards a wormhole, carrying them all back into the fray.

Off to the side, Lance and Keith sat huddled together, hand in hand, Lance's head nuzzled into the crook of Keith's neck. No one questioned it. No one interrupted them. In all the time they'd been together, none of them had ever seen Keith or Lance look so perfectly and irrevocably happy.


End file.
